Renewable insulation for rail joints



Nov. 20 1923.

C. A. DISBROW RENEWABLE INSULATION FOR RAIL JOINTS Filed Sept. 12, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W/nvspsssu Nov. 20 1923. x 1,474,431

C. A. DISBROW RENEWABLE INSULATION FOR RAIL JOINTS- Filed Sept. 12. 1922 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "'HIlHi CZtlf'TSOTLc/ZLD isbrozv,

vented certain new and useful Improvements Patented Nam 29, 1923.

1,474,431 Tar OFFICE.

CLABKSON A. DISBROW, OF'NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE RAIL JOINT COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

RENEWABLE INSULATION FOR RAIL JOINTS.

Application filed September 12, 1922. Serial No. 587,789.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CLARKSON A. DIS- nnow, citizen of the United States, residing at New Rochelle, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have in- .in Renewable Insulations for Rail Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sectional insulation for insulated rail joints, and more particularly to that type of insulation having readily renewable and replaceable parts at the center of the joint, whereby renewal and replacement of the insulation which is sub jected to the greatest wear may be readily effected without disturbing the remaining serviceable portions of insulation.

A primary object of the invention is to meet the requirement of replacing the worn portions of the head sections of insulation under the heads of therails near the meeting ends thereof, and also replace the worn head portion of the insulating end post which is disposed between the rail ends. l/Vhile it has heretofore been proposed to renew the insulation between the heads of the joint bars and the heads of the rails, such renewals have not also involved the replacement of the worn head portion of the end post between the rail ends.

It has been found in practice that when the insulation between the bar heads and the rail heads have become damaged and worn, the upper section or head portion of the insulating end ost usually is also worn out, and therefore the present invention provides a means whereby, all of the worn insulation at the ends of the rails may be con veniently renewed in one replacement "operation, with the use of a relatively small amount of insulation.

Acordingly, the present invention has primarily in view the provision of a novel insulation unit for the center of the joint which permits o'f renewing the insulating end post at the time of renewing the Worn out por tions of the joint bar insulation at or adj a cent the meeting ends of the rails.

A further object of the invention is to provide a renewable insulation unit wherein the head portion of the end post and the inserts of the bar head insulation are de tachably interlocked in such a manner that they may be readily removed and replaced without taking apart the entire rail joint,

after more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: v

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rail joint with one of the joint bars removed, exposing an insulating unit embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

V Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of the improved insulation unit shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a View similar to Figure 2 illustrating another modification of the invention.

In carrying the invention into effect the joint bar head sections of insulation 1-1 are combined with an end post head section of insulation 2 to provide a renewable insulation unit for the center of the joint. As usual, these sections of insulation are made of hard fiber or other insulation material suitable for the purpose, and are intended to be associated with the usual joint insulation 3, which being relatively remote from the ends of the rails R, is not subjected to concentrated wear and therefore remains in a serviceable condition for a comparatively greater length of time than the insulation directly beneath and at the ends of the rails where the greatest wear is focused.

As will be observed from the drawings, the said head section 2 of the end post is of the same cross section as the rail head and substantially co-extensive in area there with, and overlies but is detached from the body portion B of the insulating end post which can remain more or less permanently between the ends of the rails. According to the presentembodiment of the invention, the said head section 2 is separate from the bar head sections l jwhich are of short length fiber sections of curved formation so as to fit the head of the joint bar at the central part of the joint. These bar head sections are providedat the central portion of. their outer edges at with the notches or niortises 5 for receiving the holding lugs 6 formed on the end post head section 2, whereby the bar head sections and the end post head sec tion have an interlocking engagement so that upon loosening the'joint bars the end post head section may be readily lifted out and replaced and the her head section of insulation likewise removed and renewed without disturbing the insulation 3. y

In theconstruction shown in Figure 4 additional means for interlocking the head portion 2 and thebar head insulation 1 is provided. That is to say, the end post head section 23in addition to having the lugs 6 for interlocking with the notches 5 in the bar head insulation is also provided at the end of the neck portion 7 with the laterally extending lugs 8, the same being spaced a suflicient distance below the edge as of the bar head insulation sections 1 to permit of easy application of the latter when making the replacement in track. That is to say, whilethe primary function of the lugs 8 is to prevent upward displacement of the head section of the insulation end post nevertheless sufiicient clearanc is provided be tween the lugs and the edges .02 of the bar head insulation to permit the end posthead section 2 to be lifted the distanceof the space :1] so as to allow the bar head inserts l tonbe passed in under the lugs 6, and then the end post insulation head section 2 dropped into position. In this way, the end post insulation 2 not only interlocks with the bar head sections 1, but the latter also prevents the'end post insulation 2E3 from be ing. displaced as previously indicated.

Other modifications of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art and it will of course be understood that various changes in the former-0 30mm and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An insulatingunit for 'rail joints consisting of a bar head section, and an end post'head sectionhaving a locking engage ment with the outer edge of said barhead section.

2. An insulating unit for rail joints in cluding bfar headsections andv an end post head "section 'de t ach ably interlocking with said bar sections of insulation at their outer edges. I

3. An insulating unit itor rail joints in-- cluding her head sections having notches at their outer edges; and an end post head' section engaging in said notches.

lf'An'insulating'unit for rail'joints including bar head section v having "notches at their outer edges, and an'end post head section having lugs for engaging in said notches. v r

ln testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two" witnesses.

CLARKSON'A. DISBROVV. WVitnesses I a E. KfKERsiiNE'R, KATHERINE MoNALLY. 

